Author 





V 



Instructor Literature Series — /Vo. 212 








The Story of 

Robin Hood 




Monograph 


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205 Eyes and No Eyes and the Three Giants 
Continued on third cover 


July, 1912 


INSTRUCTOR LITERATURE SERIES 

I 


THE STORY OF 

ROBIN HOOD 


"By Bertha E. Bush 



PUBLISHED JOINTLY BY 

F. A. OWEN CO., Dansville, N. Y. 
HALL & MCCREARY, CHICAGO, ILL. 



rz? 

.1 

rR55 
-g ur 


Copyright, 1912, by 
F, A. OWEN PUBLISHING CO. 


Robin Hood 



gCI.A32504r> 


The Story of Robin Hood 

“And what of Peter, the Ploughman? He was a 
good friend of mine.’’ 

“Alack, Peter the Ploughman hath been hanged and 
his wife and little ones turned out of their home to beg. ’’ 

The father of young Eobin Hood with his liitle son 
at his side, had met a man from his old home and was 
eagerly questioning him about the welfare of his old 
neighbors. But much of the news was sad, for the 
times were evil in England. The Normans had conquered 
the country and were the lords and officials in the land, 
and they cruelly oppressed the common people, who were 
Saxons. The father said not a word although his face 
grew very sad, but the boy beside him burst out indig- 
nantly. 

“But why should such a thing be done? Peter the 
Ploughman was one of the best men I ever knew and his 
wife was as good and kind as an angel. Why should 
such a dreadful thing be done to them?’’ 

“Because he shot deer in the king’s forest. But in- 
deed he had an excuse for breaking the law if ever a man 
did. His crops had been destroyed by the huntsmen 
riding through them. The tax collector had taken all 
that he had, and his children were crying for hunger. 
He shot the deer that they might have food to eat ; but 
the sheriff caught him and hung him for it. As to the 
reason why his wife was turned out from her home with 
her orphan children, the abbot wanted that bit of ground 
for an extension to his garden, so out the poor folks 
must go. ’’ 

“It’s a shame,’’ cried the boy with flashing eyes. 


4 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


“Such laws as that are wicked laws and ought to be 
broken. The greedy lords and rich, ease-loving church- 
men strip the people bare and go rolling in wealth while 
the rest of the people are starving.” 

“Hush, boy, hush,” said the news-teller warningly. 
^‘Our England is indeed cruelly misgoverned, but it is 
not safe to say so, for the very walls have ears and many 
have been hanged because their tongues wagged too freely, 
as well as for shooting the king’s deer.” 

“But the king, — the king is good,” faltered the boy. 
He had been taught to love and reverence the king. 

“The king would be a good king if he would stay at 
home and govern his people. But he is off at war all the 
time,, and the nobles and officers he apyioints grind the 
people as a miller grinds the wheat between his great 
millstones. They rob them continually, and the rich are 
growing richer and more greedy and the poor growing 
poorer and more miserable all the time. 

“When I am a man,” said the boy, Eobin Hood, “I . 
will make the ri'^h give up a portion of their wealth to 
the poor, and then all will be provided for.” 

It was not strange, perhaps, considering the evils of 
the times, that this boy, Eobin Hood, when he became 
a man, did do just what he said, and gathered a band of 
men about him in the forest whose pledged purpose was 
to despoil the rich of ill-gotten wealth and lend a helping 
hand to the poor. The Normans called them “highway 
robbers, ’ ’ but the common people called them “the merry 
men of greenwood’ ’ and loved them, for they were often 
helped out of trouble by them. Their robbing was cer- 
tainly wrong according to our standards, but Eobin 
Hood did not think it was wrong. He took from the 
rich what they had wrung unjustly from the poor to give * 
it back to the poor, and he thought that it was right. 
Outlaw though he was, he stood ever for justice and 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


5 


fairness as he saw it. He was lojal to the king, though 
he resisted the unjust exactions made in the king’s name. 
He was loyal to the church and prayed most reverently 
for himself and his band. It was his pride that he and 
his men had never harmed a woman, or burned a hay- 
stack, or robbed a husbandman, or hurt a parish priest. 
The Normans did all these things. Compared with their 
actions, Robin Hood’s standards w^ere wonderfully high. 

He was tryinti to be a reformer ; and though he went 
about his work in a wrong way, still he did much good. 
As the quaint old ballad sa\ s about him — in queer spell- 
ing w'hich I revise, 

“Christ have mercy on his soul 
That died on the rood ! 

For he was a good outlaw 

And did poor men much good. ’ ’ 

He was brave and kind and merry always, and all the 
English people — except England’s oppressors — loved 
him with all their hearts and delighted in his adventures. 
The story of what he did was put into songs and sung 
at every fireside; and no man was better loved than this 
outlaw with a price upon his head. 

Here are a few stories of Robin Hood and his men, 
and a great many more may be found which are well 
worth your reading. 

WINNING THE SHERIFF’S GOLDEN ARROW 

It was very pleasant in Sherwood Forest to those who 
did not fear hardship, and Robin Hood and his men 
came to love every tree that grew and every bird that 
sang there. They did not mind that they had no houses 
to live in. They made themselves shelters of bark and 
logs to keep the rain off, and mostly they stayed in the 
open. They did not sigh for soft beds or fine tables and 


6 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


furnishings. They put down rushes and spread deer 
skins over them to lie on, and slept under the stars. 
They cooked over a great fire built beside a big tree, and 
they sat and ate on the ground. 

More than a hundred men were in Robin Hood’s band ; 
every one was devoted to him and obeyed his slightest 
word. They were the best archers, the best wrestlers, 
the best runners and the best wielders of cudgel and 
quarter-staff in all the country, and they grew better 
continually, for they practiced these things every day. 

Robin Hood was the best archer in all the land. Even 
the king had heard of his wonderful marksmanship, and 
even though he knew him an outlaw, he had an admiring 
and almost kindly feeling for this bold outlaw who shot so 
marvelously well. But the greedy lords and churchmen 
who oppressed the people hated Robin Hood ; and the 
sheriff of Nottingham hated him most of all, and wished 
above all things to hang him on the gallows. 

He was a cruel, hard man with no kindness in his 
bosom, and all his spite was turned against Robin Hood, 
because every time that he tried to catch him, Robin 
outwitted him- Now he was especially angered, for he 
had sent a messenger with a warrant to take Robin Hood 
and the merry Robin had met the messenger and feasted 
him and then, while he was asleep after the feast, stolen 
the very warrant out of his pocket so that he had to go 
back to the sheriff without man or warrant either. So 
the sheriff of Nottingham used all his wits to get another 
plan to take Robin Hood, It was plainly of no use to 
send men, no matter how stout, with warrants after him. 
He must be coaxed into their clutches. 

“I huve it,” said the sheriff of Nottingham at last, 
with a very sour look on his grim face. “I’ll catch him 
by craft. I’ll proclaim a great archery festival, and get 
all the best archers in England to come here to shoot. 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


7 


ITl offer for the prize an arrow of beaten gold. That 
will be sure to fetch Robin Hood and his men here, and 
then ITl catch them and hang them.” 

Now Robin Hood and his men did come to the archery 
contest. But they did not come in the suits of Lincoln 
green that they wore as men of the forest. Each man 
dressed himself up to seem somebody else. Some ap- 
peared as barefoot friars, some as traveling tinkers or 
tradesmen, some as beggars, and some as rustic peasants. 
Robin Hood was the hardest to recognize of all. 

“Don’t go, master,” his men had begged. “This 
archery contest is just a trap to catch you. The sheriff 
of Nottingham and his men will be looking for you and 
they will know you by your hair and eyes and face and 
height, even if you wear different clothes. The sheriff 
has made this festival just to lure you to death. Don’t 
go.” 

But Robin Hood laughed merrily. 

“Why, as to my yellow hair, I can stain that with 
walnut stain. As to my eyes, I can cover one of them 
with a patch and then my face will not be recognized. 

I would scorn to be afraid, and if an adventure is some- 
what dangerous, I like it all the better.” 

So Robin Hood went, clad from top to toe in tattered 
scarlet, the raggedest beggarman that had ever been seen 
in Nottingham. The field where the contest was to be 
held was a splendid sight. Rows and rows of benches 
had been built on it for the gentlefolk to sit on, and they 
wore their best clothes an I were gayer than birds of 
paradise. As for the sheriff and his wife, they wore 
velvet, the sheriff purple and his lady blue. Their rich 
garments were trimmed with ermine. They wore broad 
gold chains around their necks, and the sheriff had shoes 
with wondrous!}" pointed toes that were fastened to Ins 
gold-embroidered garters by golden chains. Oh ! they 


8 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


were dressed very splendidly, and if their faces had been 
kind, they would have looked beautiful. But their faces 
were full of pride and hate. The sheriff was looking 
everywhere with si)iteful glances for Kobin Hood, and 
very cross he was that he did not see Kobin there. 

But Kobin was there, though the sheriff did not see 
him. . There he stood in his ragged beggar’s garments, 
not ten feet away from the sheriff. 

The targets were placed eighty yards from where the 
archers were to stand. Pace that off, and see what a 
great distance it is. There were a great number of 
archers to shoot and each was to have one shot. Then 
the ten who shot best were to shoot two arrows each ; 
and the three who shot best out of the ten were to shoot 
three arrows apiece. The one who came nearest to the 
center of the target was to get a prize. 

The sheriff looked gloweringly at the ten. 

“I was sure that Kobin Hood would be among them,” 
he said to the man at arms at his side. “Could no one 
of these ten be Kobin Hood in disguise?” 

“No,” answered the man at arms. “Six of these I 
know well. They are the best archers in England. 
There is Gill o’ the Ked Cap, Diccon Cruikshank, Adam 
o’ the Ifell, William o’ Leslie, Hubert o’ Cloud, and 
Swithin o’ Hertford. Of the four beside, one is too tall 
and one too short and one not l)road-shonldered enough 
to be Kobin Hood. There remains only this ragged 
beggar, and his hair and beard are much too dark to be 
Kobin Hood’s, and beside, he is blind in one eye. Kobin 
Hood is safe in Sherwood Forest.” 

Even as he spoke, the man-at-arms was glad, for 
he was but a common soldier, and he loved Kobin Hood 
and wished no harm to come to him. One reason why 
Kobin Hood got away from the sheriff so many times 
was that the common people, even among the sheriff’s 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


9 


own men, were friendly to him and helped him all they 
could. The gatekeepers shut their eyes when Robin 
Hood went through the gates that they might say they 
had not seen him enter. Hardly any one would betray 
him, and many, when they knew of evil being planned 
against him, sent warning to him. But even the man-at- 
arms who loved him did not recognize Robin Hood today. 

The ten made wonderful shots. Not one arrow failed 
to come within the circles that surrounded the center. 
But when the three shot, it was more wonderful still. 
Gill o’ the Red Cap’s first arrow struck only a finger’s 
breadth from the center, and his second was nearer still. 
But the beggar’s arrow struck in the very center. Adam 
o’ the Dell, who had one more shot, unstrung his bow 
"lien he saw it. 

“Fourscore years and more have I shot shaft, and 
beaten many competitors, but I can never better that,” 
he said. 

The prize of the golden arrow belonged to the tattered 
beggar, but the sheriff’s face was very sour as he gave 
it to him. He tried to induce him to enter his service, 
promising great wages. 

“You are the best archer I have ever seen,” he said. 
“I trow you shoot even better than that rascal and cow- 
ard of a Robin Hood who dared not show his face here 
today. Will you join my service?” 

“No, I will not,” answered the scarlet-clad stranger, 
and then the sheriff looked at him so spitefully that he 
knew it was well to get away. As he walked toward 
Sherwood Forest, the sheriff’s words rankled. 

“I cannot bear to have even my enemy think that 
I am a coward,’' he said to Littlejohn. “I wish there 
was a way to tell the sheriff that it was Robin Hood that 
won his golden arrow. 

And they found a way. 


That evening the sheriff sat 


10 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


at supper, and thougli the snp[)ei' w:ia a flue one, Lis 
face was gloomy. 

“I thought I could catch that rascal Robin Hood by 
means of this archeiy contest,” he said to his wife, “but 
he was too much of a coward to show his face here, ’ ’ 

Just then something came through the window and 
fell rattling among the dishes on the table. It was a 
blunted gray goose quill with a bit of writing tied to it. 
The sheriff unfolded the writing. It told that it w’as 
Robin Hood who had won the golden arrow. When the 
sheriff read it, even his wife thought best to slip away, 
for he was the crossest man in Nottingham. 


HOW LITTLE JOHN JOINED ROBIN HOOD 

This is the story of how Robin gained his right hand 
man and dearest friend. Little John. Little John was 
one of the tallest and strongest youths that ever walked 
through a forest. When Robin Hood first saw him, he 
was walking in the edge of the forest and came to a 
narrow bridge across a stream. The bridge was so narrow 
that but one could go across it at onco, and it chanced 
tliat Robin Hood stepped uiion it from one side just as 
Little John stepped on the other end. 

‘ ‘ Go back, and let the better man cross before you, ’ ’ 
called Robin Hood, not because he cared a bit but rather 
with a mirthful wish to see what the tall youth would do. 
“Stand back yourself. I am the better man,” cried the 
stranger. “Let us fight for it,” said Robin Hood, who 
loved a good bout more than liis dinner. 

‘‘With all my heart,” answered the stranger. 

Then Robin cut him a stick of oak to serve as a 
quarter-staff, for he would have held it a shame to use 
his bow and arrows when the other had no such weapon, 
and they met as joyously as two boys wrestling for sport. 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


11 


•“The one who can knock the other into the water is 
the best man,’’ said Robin. Then the fight with the 
staves began. What a tight it was ! They struck again 
and again, but so skilful was each one in warding off 
blows that neither could knock the other down. Many 
hard blows each one took, until there were sore bones 
and bumps, and black and blue spots in plenty, but 
neither 'thought of stopping for that. A whole hour they 
fought there on the bridge, and neither could get the 
better of the other, then another hour. At last Robin 
gave the stranger a terrible whack that made him stagger, 
but the stranger returned with a crack on the crown that 
made the blood flow. Robin whacked back at him sav- 
agely, but the stranger avoided the blow and gave one to 
Robin that tumbled him fairly into the water. 

He lay there looking up and laughing, for Robin Hood 
never bore any malice. 

‘ ‘You have a right sturdy hand with the cudgel. 
Never have I been beaten before, ’ ’ he laughed. He 
splashed ashore and seized the stranger’s hand. 

“I like you well,’’ he said. “Now watch, and I will 
show you something. ’ ’ 

He put his horn to his lips and blew, and up came 
two score of Robin Hood’s followers all clothed in Lin- 
coln green, and bearing bows and arrows and swords. 

“How is this, master?’’ said the foremost. “l"ou 
are all bruised and wet to the skin.’’ 

“Yon sturdy fellow has given me a drubbing and 
tumbled me into the water,’’ he said. 

“Then he shall get a ducking and a drubbing himself, ’ ’ 
said Will Stutely, starting forth angrily, followed by 
half a dozen all eager to carry out his threat. But 
Robin Hood ordered him back. 

“No,’’ he said, “it was a fair fight, and he won. I 
would not have you hurt him for anything. But he is 


12 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


a right brave and lusty youth and I would fain have him 
in our band. Will you join yourself to my men?” he 
asked of the wondering stranger. “I am Robin Hood, 
and my band is the finest in all England.” 

Hardly a man in the country but would have trembled 
at the name. But John Little, the strange youth, was 
afraid of no man. 

“If there is any man among you who can. shoot a 
better shaft than I, I will, ’ ’ he said. 

“Well, I will try,” said Robin. He sent Will 
Stutely to set up a piece of white bark four fingers in 
breadth on an oak eighty yards away. 

“Now choose any of our bows and arrows to shoot 
with,” he said. 

The stranger chose the very stoutest bow. Then he 
aimed his arrow carefully and sent it down the path and 
it struck the very center of the mark. All Robin Hood’s 
followers caught their breaths in amaze. 

“That is a fine shot indeed,” said Robin Hood 
heartily. “No one could better it; but perhaps I may 
mar it. ’ ’ 

Then he shot an arrow ; and so true and swift it sped 
that it struck the stranger’s arrow and splintered it into 
pieces. And all who saw it cried out that there never 
was such shooting before. 

“Now, will you not come into my band ?’ ’ said Robin 
Hood with a smile, 

“With all my heart,” answered the stranger; and 
from that minute he loved Robin as his dearest friend. 

“What is your name?” said Will Stutely, taking out 
a tablet as though he would enroll it. 

“John Little,” answered the stranger youth. 

“I like not the name,” said merry Will. “This fel- 
low is too small to be called John Little. Let us 
christen him over. Little John.” 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


13 


And so they had a christening and great sport ; and 
from that day Little John was Edbin’s right hard man 
and second in command over the band. True and faith- 
fully did he serve Robin for many years and loved him 
better with every year. 

ALLEN A-DALE AND FRIAR TUCK 

This is the story of a merry friar and how he came 
to belong to Robin Hood’s band. But it begins with 
the story of a sad youth with a harp in his hand, who 
could sing as sweetly as a thrush but who thought that 
he would never sing again for his heart was breaking. 
Robin Hood and his men found him in the forest, lying 
prone on the ground and sobbing as if he would weep 
his eyes out. 

“Get up! Get-up!’’ shouted Will Stutely, poking him 
with his foot. “I do hate to see a tall young fellow 
snivelling like a girl of fourteen over a dead bird. ’ ’ 

But Robin Hood bade the others stand back, and 
touched the boy kindly. 

“You are in trouble’’ he said. “Do not mind what 
these fellows say. They are rough, but their hearts are 
kind. Come with me and tell me what is wrong.’’ 

“Everything is wrong, ’’ said Allen-a-Dale miserably, 
and it was true that things were going very badly with 
him. For his true love and promised bride had been 
forced to give him up and promise her hand to a rich 
old knight who won her father’s favor by means of his 
money. 

“She will marry the old knight if her father bids 
her,’’ cried Allen-a-Dale, “for she thinks it right to be 
an obedient daughter ; but I know it will break her heart 
and she will die. “ 

“Now this thing shall not be,’’ cried Little John, 


14 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


starting forward. “Master, can Ave not prevent such a 
wrong?’ ’ 

“We will see,’’ answered Robin Hood. 

“But she is to be married in two days.’’ 

“Then we will go to the church and see that she is 
married to you instead of the old knight. But we Avill 
need to find a priest who will marry you,.’’ 

“Then I know the very priest,’’ said Will Scarlet. 
“It is jolly Friar Tuck who lives in Fountain Dale.’’ 

“Then let us go and get him at once. Y'e have no 
time to lose,’’ said Robin Hood; and out they started 
without delay. Little John, Will Scarlet, youmr David 
of Doncaster, and Arthur-a-Bland went with him. They 
wore their best clothes. 

“For,’’ said Robin Hood, “we must look brave when 
we go to a wedding.’’ 

After they had walked a whole morning, they came to 
the bend in the river beyond which Friar Tuck dwelt. 
But his cell was across the river and to get to it they 
would have to wade through. 

“Well,’’ said Robin Hood, “had I known I would 
have to wade the river I would not have put on my best 
clothes. 

Then he left his men, bidding them listen if his 
bugle should sound, and went on alone. As soon as he 
was out of sight of them, he thought he heard voices. 
There seemed to be two men talking on the river bank 
below, but the voices were wondrously alike. Robin 
Hood slipped to the edge'knd looked over. 

With his broad back against a Avillow tree, sat a stout, 
brawny fellow in the robe of a friar, but no other man 
was by. He held a great pie in his lap, made of tender, 
juicy meats, compounded with young onions and other 
toothsome vegetables, which he munched at sturdily. 
As he ate he talked, and, listening to him, Robin Hood 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


15 


almost died of laughing. For the merry friar was pie- 
tending to be two people. He would offer a piece of the 
pasty first to his right hand and then to liis left, with 
much politeness, and go through the same actions with 
a bottle of drink that he had. Robin looked and listened 
till the pie was all gone and the bottle empty. TUj'n 
the monk began to urge his imaginary companion to 
sing. 

“Now, sweet lad,” he said to himself, “canst thou not 
tune me a song?” And then he answered himself 
bashfully., 

“La, I know not. I am but in ill voice this day. 
Prythee, ask me not : dost thou not hear how I croak 
like a frog?” 

Then he spoke again as the first one. 

“Nay, nay, thy voice is as sweet as any bulfinch. 
Come sing, prythee. I wouhl rather hear thee sing than 
eat M fair feast. 

And so it went on till he began singing and that was 
as two persons, too. The song he sang was a duet be- 
tween a youth and a maid, and he sung the maiden’s 
part very high and squeaky and the youth’s very deep 
and gruff. It was the funniest thing you can imagine, 
and when the last chorus was reached Robin Hood could 
hold in no more but joined in with the singing lustily. 

Then the friar leaped forth, crying, “What spy have 
we here?” and from beneath his monk’s robe he drew 
forth a sword as heavy and stout as any that Robin 
Hood’s band carried. 

“Put up thy sword, friend,” called Robin. “Folks 
that have sung together should not fight.” And then 
he leaped down beside the friar. 

“Do you know the country round about, good and 
holy man?” he asked. 

“Yes, somewhat,” answered the friar cautiously. 


16 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


“And do you know a spot called Fountain Dale, and 
a certain naonk who is called the Curtal Friar of Foun- 
tain Abbey V ’ 

“Yes, somewhat.’’ 

“Is it across the river?’’ asked Robin Hood. 

“Yes,’’ answered the monk. 

“Do you know whether this friar is now on the other 
side of the river or on this side?’’ asked Robin. 

“That,’’ answered the friar very deliberately, “is 
something you will have to find oht for youself. ’’ 

This angered Robin, and indeed it was not at all civil. 

“Well,’’ he said, “if I must cross the river, I must 
ask you to carry me across, for you can see that my 
clothes are such as the water would injure.’’ 

At first the friar was angry at the request, but soon a 
different thought seemed to come to him and he laughed. 

“ Well,’’ he said, “if the holy St. Christopher carried 
pilgrims across the river, perhaps I ought to do so also. 
Give me your sword that it may not get wet, and I will 
carry you. ’ ’ « 

So he tucked his own sword and Robin’s under his 
arm, bent his back for Robin to get on it, and waded 
across the water. He put Robin down very gently on 
the other bank, but he did not give him back his sword. 

“Thanks, good father, ’’ said Robin. “Give me my 
sword, and I will away.’’ 

“Nay, good youth, ’’ answered the friar, pointing the 
sword at Robin. ‘ ‘ You see, I got wet crossing the river. 
It is necessary for me to cross again, but I fear if I got 
wet once more I might get a crick in my back that 
would hinder my prayers. I pray thee, carry me back.’’ 

He had the sword, and there was nothing, for Robin 
to do but to obey. So he carried the friar back , and it 
was harder than for the friar to carry him. But while 
they were in the stream he managed to loosen Friar 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


17 


Tuck’s sw'ird belt so that when they got to land he 
snatched it otf. Now Robin Hood had the two swords. 

“Now carry me across again,” he said. 

It is a long story ; but the end of it is that Friar Tuck 
carried Robin Hood half way across the river, and there 
dumped, him into the water “to cool off,’’ as he said. 
Then Robin fought with him ; but, though they fought 
together with might and main for hours, neither could 
overcome the other. And so they ceased to fight and 
became friends ; and Friar Tuck willingly consented to 
go with him and perform the marriage between Allen-a- 
Dale and his fair Ellen, no matter what a pother it raised. 

So now Robin Hood and a score of his merry men set 
out to the M^edding which was to be held in Emmet 
Church. Robin Hood was dressed as a strolling min- 
strel, and across his shoulders he had slung a harp. 
Leaving the most of his followers in hiding a little dis- 
tance from the church, he went in boldly. ’ 

It was to be a very grand wedding, and the Bishop of 
Hereford himself was to perform the ceremony. He 
came with a long train of followers, and as he entered 
he saw Robin with his harp beside the door. 

“Now, who are you?’’ he asked, well pleased, for 
everybody loved to see a minstrel. 

‘ ‘ I am a harper from the north country, ’ ’ answered 
Robin Hood. “I can -play such music as never another 
in all England can do. For there is magic in my harp- 
ing, and if I play at this wedding, it will insure that 
the fair bride shall love the man she marries with her 
whole heart all her life long. 

“Marry then, let him play,” said Sir Stephen, the 
old bridegroom. He knew that if was her father’s will 
instead of her own wish that made the fair Ellen marry 
him. But he did not know that she loved another, for 
her father had concealed it from him. - 


18 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


And now tiie bride’s father brought in the bride, and 
she was the most beautiful maiden they had ever seen. 
But she was pale and wan and she drooped on her father’s 
arm like a broken lily. 

“How is this?” cried Robiu Hood. “A bride should 
be like a blushing rose. Maiden, is it of your own free 
will that you wed with this knight?” 

“No, no,” sobbed fair Ellen. “I wish to wed no 
one but my own true love Allen-a-Dale the minstrel.” 

“Then Allen-a-Dale ye shall wed,” cried Robin 
Hood, and set his bugle to his lips and blew. The fol- 
lowers who had entered the church and Friar Tuck came 
running down the aisles and gathered around him. 
Then came a scene of confusion. The bisliop of Hereford, 
the irrior of Emmet and all his train commanded the 
people to seize Robin Hood, but they would not do it. 
The old knight who was the bridegroom sought to draw 
his sword, but he wore no sword on his wedding day. 

“At them and slay them,” he cried to his men-at- 
arms. But just at that minute there came running up at 
the double quick the rest of Robin Hood’s men, with 
swords drawn and bows and arrows hanging at their backs. 

“I will depart,” said the bridegroom to the bride’s 
father. “I would not marry your daughter now for all 
the kingdom of England.” 

He spoke angrily, for he felt that he had been cheated, 
not knowing that the maiden loved some one else. The 
prior of Emmet, calling his train, also departed in high 
displeasure, and the bishop of Hereford would have 
gone too, but Robin bade him stay. 

• “Now,” he said, “we will have a wedding, and fair 
Ellen shall marry Allen-a-Dale.” 

“Ye cannot.” The prior of Emmet turned back to 
say this. “Y^ou have no priest to marry them.” 

‘ ‘ Am I not a priest ?” bellowed Friar Tuck, so fiercely 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 19 

that the prior shook in his pointed shoes and made haste 
to get away. 

“But the banns have not been published,” said the 
bride’s father. 

“I will publish them,” roared Friar Tuck; and the 
old song says that he cried them three times, the number 
required by law, and then, lest that should not be enough, 
he cried them six times more. 

“But I cannot be married without my father’s bless- 
ing, ’ ’ sobbed Ellen, for she was ever an obedient 
daughter. 

“There, there, don’t cry,” said Robin Hood gently. 
“I will get your father’s blessing.’' Then he called to 
Will Stutely. 

“Give me the two bags of gold I bade you bring.” 
He strode up to Ellen’s father with a bag of gold in each 
hand. 

“Here are two hundred golden angels,” he said. 
“If you give your daughter your blessing on this her 
wedding day, I will give you these as her dower. If 
you give her not the blessing, she shall be married just 
the same, but not a cracked farthing shalt thou have.” 

The father looked at the gold and then at Robin 
Hood. He knew the knight was gone and would not 
come back. 

“Well,” he said, but not happily, “I will give her 
my blessing. 

So the wedding went on ; and after it was over they 
went to Sherwood Forest and held the merriest feast 
that ever was held in that merry place. And Allen-a- 
Dale and his bride lived happy all the rest of their lives, 
and he sang such beautiful songs that his fame went all 
over England. As for Friar Tuck, he liked Robin Hood 
and his band so much that he never went back to Foun- 
tain Dale but became one of Robin Hood’s merry men. 


20 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


ROBIN HOOD AND THE SORROWFUL KNIGHT 

“We have had no guests for a long time, ’’ said Robin 
Hood one day. “Let us go out and look for some. 
Little John, you go to the east and I will go to the west, 
and we will see if we do not find passing a greedy noble, 
or fat churchman who carries too much of this world’s 
goods with him, and needs to be relieved for the good 
of the poor. ’ ’ 

Now when Robin Hood and his men robbed a man — 
and they never molested any but the rich who had made 
their wealth by grinding down the poor — they brought 
him into the forest and made a feast for him. Then, 
after he had feasted, they told him he must pay his 
reckoning, and they took his goods or gold that he 
carried and divided these into three piles. One third 
they gave back to him ; one third they kept for them- 
selves ; and the other third they distributed to the poor. 
The rich and grasping shuddered at the very mention 
of Robin Hood’s feasts, but the poor breathed blessings 
on his name whenever they thought of them. 

So Little John and his part of the band went 
to the east ; and they were lucky, for they brought 
in the rich bishop of Hereford with five sumpter mules 
loaded with goods. But Robin Hood and his half found 
only a sorrowful knight who sighed as he rode along and 
seemed too sad to notice anything. Robin Hood laid 
his hand on his bridle, stopping his horse. 

“Hold,” he said. “I would, speak with you.’’ 

“Now who are you who would stop a peaceful traveler 
on the king’s highway?” asked the knight. 

“Some call me an honest man and some call me a 
robber,” answered Robin Hood. “At any rate, I and 
my men have an inn in the forest where we want you to 
stop and feast. But we let you know that we count upon 
our guests paying their reckoning. ’ ’ 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


21 


“I take your meaning, ” answered the knight, ‘‘but 
I am no guest for you, for I have no money. Indeed, I 
am in great sorrow by reason of this very thing. Having 
great need of money to save the life of my son, I mort- 
gaged my estate to the prior of Emmet and, though I 
could raise the money if he would give me more time, 
he will not give me a day, but means to seize the estate 
and turn me out a beggar. 

“How much money did you borrow of him?” asked 
Robin Hood. 

“Only four hundred pounds. The estate is worth 
many times that but he will show no mercy.” 

‘ ‘ Have you no friends who could lend you the money ?’ ’ 
asked Robin Hood. 

“Alas, no,” answered the knight. “When I was 
fortunate I had many friends who crowded around me, 
but now that I have come to trouble they have all de- 
serted me. ’ ’ 

“Well, the men who are in trouble always have friends 
in Sherwood Forest,” answered Robin Hood. “Come 
with me as a free guest and we will find a way to help 
you.” 

So tliey went on until thej' came to the great tree 
where Friar Tuck and half a dozen others were preparing 
the feast around a huge fire. And there in the light of 
the fiames sat the bishop of Hereford under guard, with 
his sumpter mules with their loaded packs tied to the 
trees around. 

“Have mercy,” he whined. But Robin Hood an 
swered sternly. 

‘ ‘ What mercy have you ever shown to the poor ? Men, 
open his packs !” 

So they opened the packs, which were full of rich 
goods and divided them into three parts. Beside the 
packs of goods there was a box that held fifteen hundred 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


pounds in gold. Robin Hood took up the portion divided 
out for the poor and gave it to the sorrowful knight. 

“Since the churchmen have despoiled you, the church- 
men shall help you,” he said. 

“Oh, I thank 3"OU, ” cried the knight, his sorrowful 
face lighting up for the first time that day. “But I will 
not take it as a sift but as a loan. I will pay it back 
to the bishop or to you. 

The bishop nodded and opened his mouth to say 
“That is well, ’ ’ but Robin Hood interrupted him shortly. 

“Pay it to me,” he said. “I will help the poor with 
it. The bishop would but crowd it into his own coffers, 
and use it to gain more money. ’ ’ 

So the knight who had been so sorrowful departed 
with all this troubles cleared away. Sorely disappointed 
was the prior of Emmet for he had made sure by 
cheating and craft that the poor knight who had fallen 
into his clinches could not get the money to redeem his 
lands anywhere, and he counted them already in his grasp. 
But he had to give them up ; and that is a story too, 
but we have not room to tell it here. 

ROBIN HOOD AND THE KING ' 

“I wish I could see Robin Hood, ’ ’ said King Richard. 
“I wish I could see him and his men shoot and wrestle 
and go through all the feats in which they have such 
wondrous skill. But if they heard that the king was 
coming, they would think it was only to arrest them, 
and they would flee deep into the forest and I should 
never get a glimpse of them. ’ ’ 

King Richard spoke kindly, for he was a king who 
loved all manly sports and those who excelled in them. 

“I would give a hundred pounds to see Robin Hood 
and his men in the greenwood,” he said. 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


23 


“ITl tell jou how yon cun see him without a doubt, ” 
spoke up one of the kiiu^’s trusty companions with a 
laugh. ‘ ‘ Put on the robes of a fat abbot and ride through 
Sherwood Forest with the hundred pounds in your pouch, 
and you will be sure to see him and be feasted by him, ” 

“I’ll doit,” cried bluff King Richard, slapping his 
knee. “It will be a huge joke.” 

So lie and seven of his followers dressed themselves 
as an abbot and seven black friars and rode out along 
the highway toward Sherwood I’orest, And Robin Hood 
and his men took them and brought them to the Trystal 
Tree, and there they searched them and took the pouch 
of gold. But they gave half the gold back to the king, 
for it was not their custom to leave any man in need. 
They were pleased with these travelers because they did 
not resist nor rail at them. 

“Now we shall give you a feast that will be worth 
fifty iiounds, ” said Robin Hood. 

‘ ‘ I have a good appetite for a feast, ’ ’ said the pretend- 
ed abbot, “ but even more do I desire to see the archery 
and wrestling and play with the quarter-staff and all 
those things in which I am told you excel.” 

“You shall see the very best we can do,” answered 
Robin Hood. “But, I pray you, holy father, lay aside 
your cowl that you may enjoy this sweet evening air.” 

“No,” answered the mock abbot. “It may not be, for 
I and my brothers have vowed not to let our faces be seen 
during this journey.” 

Very well, then, ” said Robin Hood, “I interfere with 
no man’s vows. ’ ’ And he never dreamed that it was the 
king. 

They gave them a splendid feast of roasted venison 
and pheasant and fish and wild fowls, all done to a turn 
over the roaring fire, and the best of drink. Then they 
arranged the sports. 


24 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


The target was a garland of leaves and flowers that 
was hung six score paces distant upon a stake. It was a 
mark that only the best of archers could hit at all. 

“Now shoot !” said Robin Hood. “You shall each 
of you have three shots, and every one who fails to place 
his arrows within the garland shall forfeit the arrow and 
receive beside a box on the side of the head as stout as 
can be given. 

“Can any one hit inside that little garland at such a 
distance?” asked the king in amaze. 

“Look and see,” answered Robin Hood proudly,. 

First David of Doncaster shot, and lodged all three 
arrows within the garland, while the king looked on, 
astonished. Then Midge, the miller’s son, and he also 
placed all his arrows inside of the garland. Then Wat 
the Tinker drew his bow; but he was unlucky, for one 
of his arrows missed the mark by the breadth of two 
fingers. 

“Come here and take your punishment ” called Robin 
Hood merrily. The king supposed that, since he had 
missed by so little, he would receive but a li^ht tap, but 
he got a blow that knocked him spinning across the grass, 
heels over head. 

“Ha, ha, ha!” laughed his comrades, and “O ho!” 
thought King Richard, “I am glad I am not in this.” 
But he was much impressed with the wa^’ Robin Hood’s 
men obeyed him. 

“They are better to follow his commands than my 
servants are to me, ’ ’ he thought. 

The shooting went on, and most of the men shot their 
arrows within the garland, but a few missed and received 
tremendous bufl'ets. 

Last Robin Hood shot. His first shaft split off a piece 
of the stake on which the garland was hung. His second 
lodged a scant inch from the first. But the last arrow 


THE STOKY OF ROBIN HOOD 


25 


be shot was featbered faultily, and it swerved to one side, 
and smote an inch outside of the garland. 

Then all tbe company roared with good-natured laugh- 
ter, for it was seldom indeed that they saw their master 
miss. 

“Go and take your punishment, master,’’ said Midge, 
the miller’s son. “I hope it will be as heavy as Wat’s.’’ 

‘ ‘ Well, ’ ’ said Robin Hood, ‘ ‘ I will forfeit my arrow to 
our guest and take my buffet from him/’ 

Now the merry Robin was somewhat crafty in this, 
for, though he did not mind hard knocks at all, he did 
not like the thought of being sent sprawling before his 
band. The hands of churchmen were soft, and their 
strongest blows but feeble, for they did not work nor use 
their muscles much. But the pretended abbot bared an 
arm so stout and muscular that it made the yeomen stare. 
Robin Hood placed himself fairly in front of him and 
he struck a blow that would have felled an ox. Down 
went Robin Hood on the ground, robing over and over, 
and his men fairly shouted with laughter. 

‘ ‘ Well, ’ ’ said Robin Hood, sitting up, half dazed, ‘ ’ I 
did not think that there was an arm in England that 
could strike such a blow. Who are you, man? I’ll 
warrant that you are no churchman as you seem. ’ ’ 

Then Richard threw his cowl, and Robin knew his 
king. If he had been a disloyal man as well as an out- 
law, he would have trembled then. But, though he knelt 
at the king’s feet and signalled all his men to kneel, his 
^oice was not ashamed. 

“Your majesty,’’ he said, “you have no subjects in 
all England more loyal to you than I and my merry men. 
We have done no evil except to certain of the greedy and 
rich who oppressed your subjects. We crave your par- 
don if we have done wrong, and we beg for your protec- 
tion, and swear that we will, ever serve you faithfully.’’ 


26 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


Then the king looked down in amazement that an out- 
law should speak so. But he knew men, and he knew 
what people said of Robin Hood. And he knew, too, that 
he was the best archer in all England and he wanted 
him in his own train. 

“I will forgive all your law-breaking, ” he said, “if 
you will come with me to my court and serve me there. 
You shall take Little John and Will Scarlet and Allen-a 
Dale, who is the sweetest singer I ever heard ; and the 
rest of your men I will make into royal rangers, since I 
judge that they can protect Sherwood Forest better than 
any others. 

So Robin Hood left the greenwood and went to the 
king’s court and he served King Richard well. But he 
did not like the conhnement of the court and could not 
abide the gaieties and jealousies of the courtiers. After 
King Richard died, his brother John took the throne, 
and he was one of the worst kings that ever ruled England. 
Then Robin Hood went back to the forest and his meriw 
men gathered around him once more, and again they be- 
came outlaws. And there in the forest he lived till he 
died. 


DEATH OF ROBIN HOOD 

Now the manner of Robin Hood’s death was in this 
wise. He had grown to be an old man, and he became 
ill of a fever. 

“I will go to my cousin, the prioress of Kirklees, for 
she hath much knowledge of healing,” he said. “I will 
ask her to bleed me that I may become well. ’ ’ 

In those days the women had more knowledge of heal- 
ing than any others, for it was the duty of every mother 
and daughter to learn as much as she could about it that 
she might know what to do if her husband or her son 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


n 


were wounded. This cousin of Robin Hood’s was greatly 
indebted to him, for he had got her her good place as 
prioress. But she loved one of his enemies, and she 
dealt treacherously with him. 

She opened a vein in his arm, but she did not close 
it up again. Then she left him alone in a high room at 
the very top of the priory to bleed to death. All day 
long he bled till he Avas so weak that he could hardly 
move. But at evening he managed to lift his bugle to 
his lips and blow. The blast was but feeble, but Little 
John heard it, for, though the prioress refused to let him 
in with Robin Hood, he had lingered as close to his dear 
master as he could get, all day long. 

The prioress locked the great entry door so that he 
might not come in, and he seized a huge stone mortar 
that three men could not lift ordinarily and hurled it 
against the door, crashing it in. Then he dashed up the 
winding stairs and none could stay him until he reached 
the room under the eaves where his master lay. But he 
saw at a glance that Robin Hood was dying. 

“Master,” he cried, “I will burn the priory down 
over the heads of these vile nuns whose mistress has done 
you such dreadful treachery.” 

“No, no, said Robin Hood, with a smile that was 
feeble but was wondrous sweet. “I have never hurt a 
woman in my life nor allowed my followers to do it. I 
could not allow such a thing now.” 

And with almost his last breath he made Little John 
promise to do no injury to the treacherous nun who had 
killed him. 


There are many more stories about Robin Hood. 
There is not space enough here to put down half of them, ' 
I hope you will ask for them at the library and read 


28 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


them all, and some of the quaint old ballads about him 
too. And I hope, most of all, that every boy who reads 
them will try to be as kindly and as helpful and as 
generous and as brave and as chivalrous to all woman- 
kind as Robin Hood was. 


ROBIN HOOD AND ALLEN-A-DALE 

Come listen to me, you gallants so free. 

All you that love mirth for to hear, 

And I will tell you of a bold outlaw, 

That lived in Nottinghamshire. 

As Robin Hood in the forest stood, 

All under the greenwood tree. 

There he was aware of a brave young man. 

As fine as fine might be. 

The youngster was clad in scarlet red. 

In scarlet fine and gay ; 

And he did frisk it over the plain. 

And chaunted a roundelay. 

As Robin Hood next morning stood 
Amongst the leaves so guy, 

There did he espy the same young man 
Come drooping along the w’ay. 

The scarlet he wore the day before 
It -was clean cast aw’ay ; 

And at every step he fetched a sigh, 

“Alas! and a-well-a-day !’ ' 

Then stepped forth, brave Little John, 

And Midge, the miller’s son; 

Which made the young man bend his bow, 

When as ho see them come. 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


29 


“Stand ofl; ! stand off!” the young ruan said, 

“ What is your will with me?” 

“You must come before our master straight, 

Under you greenwood tree.” 

And when he came bold Robin before, 

Robin asked him courteously, 

“Oh, hast thou any money to spare, 

For my merry men and me?” 

“I have no money,” the young man said, 

“But five shillings and a ring; 

And that I have kept this seven long years. 

To have at my wedding. 

“Yesterday I should have married a maid. 

But she was from me ta’en. 

And chosen to be an old knight’s delight. 

Whereby my poor heart is slain.” 

“What is thy name?” then said Robin Hood, 

“Come tell me, without any fail.” 

*‘By the faith of my body,” then said the young man, 
“My name it is Allen-a-Dale. ” 

^‘What wilt thou give me,” said Robin Hood, 

“In ready gold or free, ‘ 

To help thee to thy true love again, 

And deliver her unto thee?” ' ' 

“I have no money,” then quoth the young man, '' ' 
‘‘In ready gold nor fee, . ' . ; 

But I will swear upon a book - - • 

Thy true servant for to be.” 

“How many miles is it to thy true love? ' . ' 

Come tell me without guile, ' ’ ■ 

“By the faith of my body,” then said the young man, 
“It is but five little mile. ” 


THE STORY OF ROBIN HOOD 


fiO 

Tiien Robin he hasted over the plain ; 

He did neither stint nor lin, 

Until he came unto the church 

Where Allen should keep his weddin’. 

“What hast thou here?” the bishop then said, 
“I prithee now tell unto me.” 

“I am a bold harper,” (juoth Robin Hood, 
“And the best in the north country.” 

“Oh welcome, oh welcome,” the bishop he said 
“That music best pleaseth me.” 

“You shall have no music,” said Robin Hood, 

‘ ‘ Till the bride and bridegroom I see. ’ ’ 

With that came in a wealthy knight. 

Which was both grave and old. 

And after him a finikin lass. 

Did shine like the glistering gold. 

“This is not a fit match,” quoth Robin Hood, 
“That you do seem to make here, 

For since we are come into the church, 

The bride shall choose her own dear. ’ ’ 

Then Robin Hood put his horn to his mouth, 
And blew blasts two or three ; 

When four-and-twenty yeomen bold 
Came leaping over the lea. 

And when they came into the churcliyard, 
Marching all in a row, 

The first man was Allen-a-Dale 
To give bold Robin his bow. 

“This is thy true love,” Robin he said, 
“Young Allen, as I hear say ; 

And you shall be married tliis same time. 

Before we depart away.” 


THE STOUY OF ROBIN HOOD 


31 


“That shall not be,” the bishop he cried, 
“For thy word shall not stand; 

They shall be three times ask’d in the church, 
As the law is of our land. ’ ’ 

Robin Hood pull’d off the bishop’s coat. 

And put it upon Little John ; 

“By the faith of my body,” then Robin said, 
“This cloth doth make thee a man.” 

When Little John went into the quire. 

The people began to laugh ; 

He asked them seven times into church. 

Lest three times should not be enough. 

“Who gives me this maid?” said Little John, 
Quoth Robin Hood, ‘ ‘ That do I ; 

And he that takes her from Allen-a-Dale, 

Full dearly he shall buy.” 

And then having ended this merry wedding. 
The bride looked like a queen ; 

And so they returned to the merry greenwood, 
Amongst the leaves so green. 


— Author Unknoion 


SEP- 5 1912 












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INSTRUCTOR LITERATURE SERIES - Con//nueJ. 


History and Biography 
5 Story of Lincoln— 

56 Indian Children Taies — Busk 

79 A Little New England Viking — Baker 

81 Story of DeSoto— 

82 Story of Daniel Boone — Reiter 

83 Story of Printing — McCabe 

84 Story of David Crockett— 

85 Story of Patrick Henrv — Littlefield 

86 American Inventors— I (Whicney and 

Fulton) — Paris 

87 American Inventors— II (Morse and Edi- 

son ) — FaHs 

88 American Naval Heroes (Jones, Perry, 

Farragut> — Bush 

89 Fremont and Kit Carson— 

178 Story ofl/Cxington and Bunker Hill 

182 Story of Joan of Arc — McFee 
Literature 

90 Selections from Longfellow —I 

91 Story of Eugene Field — M Cabe 

195 Night before Christmas and Other 
Christmas Poems and Stories. 

201 Alice*s First Adventures in Wonder- 

land — Carroll 

202 Alice’s Further Adventures in Wonder- 

land — Carroll 

207 Famous Artists 11 — Reynolds — Murillo 
III Water Babies (Abridged)- 
35 Goody Two-Shoes 
103 Stories from the Obi Testament— 

FIFTH YEAR 

Nature 

92 Animal Life in the Sea — McFee 

93 Story of Silk — Brown 

94 Story of Sugar — Reiter 

96 What We Drink (Tea, Coffee and Cocoa) 
139 Peeps into Bird Nooks, \\--McFee 

210 Snowdrops and Crocuses — Mann 
History and Biography 
16 Explorations of tlie Northwest 

80 Story of the Cabots — McBride 

97 Story of the Norsemen — Hanson 

98 Story of Nathan Hale — McCabe 

99 Story of Jefferson— A/ctTa^tf 

100 Story of B-yant — McFee 

101 Story of Robert E* Lee — McKa le 

105 Story of Canada — Douglas 

106 Story of Mexico — McCabe 

107 Story of Robert LouisStevenson — Bush 
141 Story of Grant — McKane 

144 Story of Steam — McCabe 

145 Story of McKinley — McBride 

179 Story of the Flag — Baker 

190 Story of Father Hennepin — McBride 

191 Story of LaSalle — McBride 

185 Story of tlie First Crusade — Mead 

217 Story of Florence Nightingale— 

218 Story of Peter Cooper — McFee 
110 Story of Hawthorne— McFee 
232 Story of Shakespeare 

Literature 

8 King of the Golden River— 

9 The Golden Touch — Hawthorne 

108 History in Verse (Sheridan's Ride, In- 

dependence Bell, etc.) 

180 Story of Aladdin and of AH Baba — Lewis 

183 A Dog of Flanders—/)^ la Ramee 


184 The Nu nberg Stove — De la Ramee 

186 Heroes from King Arthur — Grames 
194 Whittier’s Poems. Selected. 

199 Jackanapes — Ewing 

200 The Child of Urbiuo — De la Ramee 
2 c 8 Heroes of Asgard — Selections— AVury 
2i;- Stories from Robin Hood — Bush 

234 Poems Worth Knowing— Book II Inter- 
mediate 

SIXTH YEAR 

Nature 

109 Gifts ©fthe Forest (Rubber, Cinchona, 
Resrn, etc.) — McFee 

Geography 

114 Great European Cities— I (Loudon anti 

Paris)— A/uA 

115 Great European Cities— II (Rome and 

Berl'n) — Bush 

168 Great European Cities— III (St. Peters- 
burg; and Constantinople) — Bush 

History and Biography 

116 Old English Heroes (Alfred, Richard the 

Lioa-Heaited, The Black Prince) 

1 17 Later English Heroes (Cromwell, Well- 

ington, Gladstone) — Bush 

160 Heroes of the Revolution — 

163 Stories of Courage— 

187 Live? of Webster and Clay — Tiistram 

188 Stor> of Napoleon — Bush 

189 Stories of Heroism — Bush 

197 Story of Lafayette — Bush 

198 Story of Roger Williams — Leighton 
2C9 Lewis and Clark Expedition — 

219 Story of Iowa — McFee 

224 Story of William Tell — Hallock 
Literature 

10 The Snow Image — Hawthorne 

11 Rip Van Winkle — Irving 

12 Legend of Sleepy Hollow — Irving 
22 Rab and His Friends — Brown 

24 Three Golden Apples — Hawthorne 

25 The Miraculous Pitcher— 

26 The Minotaur — Hawthorne 

119 Bryant’s Thanatopsis and Other Poems 

120 Selections from Longfellow— II 

121 Selections from Holmes 

122 The Pied Piper of HameVxn—Browfiing 

161 The Great Carbuncle, Mr. Higgin- 

botham’s Catastrophe, Snowflakes — 
Hawthorne 

162 The Pygmies — Hawthorne 

222 Kingsley’s Greek Heroes — Part I. The 

Story of Perseus 

223 Kingsley’s Greek Heroes — Part II. The 

Story of Theseus 

225 Tennyson’s Poems — For various grades 
229 Responsive Bible Readings— 

SEVENTH YEAR 

Literature 

13 Courtship of Miles Standish 

14 Evangeline — Longfellow 

15 Snow Bound — Whittier 

20 The Great Stone Vace^Hawthorne 

123 Selections from Wordsworth 

124 Selections from Shelley and Keats 

125 Selections from Merchant of Venice 
147 Story of King Arthur as told by Tenny- 
son— //a 

Continued on next page 



INSTRUCTOR LITERATURE SERIES-Continued 


149 Mau Without a Country, The — Hale 

192 Story of Jeau Valjean. 

193 Selections from Vlie Sketch Book. 

196 The Gray Champion — Hawthorne 
213 Poems of Thomas Moore — Selected 

216 I^amb’s Tales from Shakespeare— Select- 
ed 

231 The Oregon Trail(Condensed from Park- 
man ) 

23S Lamb’s Adventures of Ulysses — Part I 
239 Lamb’s Adventures of Ulysses — Part II 

EIGHTH YEAR 

Literature 

17 Euoch Arden — Tennyson 

18 Vision of Sir Launfal — Lowell 

19 Cotter’s Saturday Night— 

23 The Deserted Village — Goldsmith 

126 Rime of the Ancient IMariuer 

127 Gray’s Elegy and Other Poems 

128 Speeches of Lincoln 

129 Selections from Julius Caesar 

130 Selections from Henry the Eighth 

131 Selections from Macbeth 


142 Scott’s Lady of the Lake — Canto I 

154 Scott’s Lady of the Lake — Canto II 

143 Building of the Ship and Other Poems — 

Lon^r fellow 

148 Horatius, Ivry, The Armada— 

150 Bunker Hill Address — Selectioiis from 

the Adams and Jefferson Oration — 
Webster 

151 Gold Bug, The— Poe 

153 Prisoner of Chillon and Other Poems — 
Byron 

155 Rhoecus and Other Poems- -Lowell 

156 Edgar Allan Poe — Biography and Se- 

lected Poems — Link 

158 Washington’s Farewell Address and 
Other Papers 

169 Abram Joseph Ryan — Biography and 

Selected Poems — Smith 

170 PaulH. Hayne — Biography and Selected 

Poems — Link 

215 Life of Samuel Johnson — Macaulav 
221 Sir Roger de Coverly Vs^pers— Addison 
237 Lay of the Last Minstrel — Scott, lulro- 
ductiou and Canto I 


Price 5 Cents Each. Postage, 1 Cent per copy extra. Order by Number. 

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Annotated Classics and Supplementary Readers 


In addition to the Five Ceut books given above the Instructor Series includes the 
folio wing titles. Most of these are carefully edited by capable teachers of English, 
with In troduction, Notes aud Outlines for Study, as noted. They are thoroughly 
adapted for class use aud study as needed in various grades. Prices“after each book. 


250 Evangeline. I.ongfellow, With bio- 

graphical sketch, historical introduc- 
tion, oral aud written exercises and 
notes lOc 

251 Courtship of Miles Standish. Longfel- 
low. With Introduction and Notes. lOc 

252 Vision of Sir Launfal. Lowell. Biograph- 

ical sketch, introduction, notes, ques- 
tions aud outlines for study 10c 

253 Enoch Arden. Tennyson, Biographi- 
cal sketch, introduction, explanatory 
notes, outlines for study aud questions 
10c 

254 Great Stone Face. Hawthorne. Bio- 

graphical sketch, introduction, notes, 
questions and outlines for study 10c 

354 Cricket on the Hearth. Chas. Dickens. 
Complete 10 c 

255 Browning’s Poems, Selected poems 
with notes and outlines lor study. . . 10c 

256 Wordsworth’s Poems. Selected poems 

with introduction, notes aud outlines 
for study 10c 

257 Soh'abpnd Rustum. Arnold. With iu- 

troduction, notes and outlines for 
study 10c 

258 The Children’s Poet. A study of Loug- 
fellow’s poetry for children of the pri- 


mary grades, with explanations, lan- 
guage exercises, outlines, written aud 
oral work, with selected poems. By 
Lillie Faris, Ohio Teachers College, 
Athens, Ohio lOc 

259 A Christmas Carol. Charles Dickens. 

Complete 10 c 

260 Familiar Legends, Inez N. McFee. A 

book of old tales retold for young 
people 10c 

261 5 ome Water Birds. Inez N. McFee. 

Description, habits, and stories of, for 
Fourth to Sixth grades lOc 

350 Hiawatha. Longfellow. With intro- 
duction and notes 15 c 

352 Milton’s Hinor Poems. Edited by Cy- 

rus T.auron Hooper. Biographical 
sketch aud iutrodnctiou, wit’.i explana- 
tory notes and questions forstiidy; criti- 
cal comments and pronouncing vocab- 
ulary of proper names 1 5 c 

353 Silas Marner. Eliot. Biographical 
sketch, numerous notes, questions for 
study, critical comments aud bibliog- 
raphy, by Hiram R. Wilson, Slate 
Normal College, Athens, O. 230 pages. 


Paper Z^c 

In cloth binding 30 c 


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( F. /I. OWEN CO, Dansville, N, V. 

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